A number of amateurs struggle with chipping, especially those with high handicaps. Indeed, the stats show a significant difference between scratch, 10-handicap and 20-handicap players. But it's not something you need to lose sleep over.
Below, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Alex Elliott delivers a three-part lesson, with the aid of a golf ball box, that should help boost your confidence around the greens...
1) Let’s use something you’ve already got in your bag, a golf ball box, and get you finding the middle of the clubface more. Those strikes towards the heel or toe give us all sleepless nights, so place the box a fingertip’s width outside the ball (image below). The idea here is to just miss the box. If you move your hands closer towards the ball on the through swing, then you’re going to catch the box. If you go a little bit out and pull the club in, again you will catch the box. Nice and simple.
2) The biggest route to consistency with your pitching and chipping is keeping that club on plane. If you whip it inside on the way back, you’re going to have problems. Grab a wedge and place it underneath your front foot, under the ball of big toe on your left foot for a right-hander (image below). If you whip the club on the inside, you’ll come into contact with the grip. The club may feel a bit more out on the way back, but that’s a great feeling if you do bring it back on the inside. You should soon start noticing crisper strikes.
3) This is one of my favourite chipping tips. I’ve placed the box roughly a foot behind the ball (image below) and my only aim is to avoid the box on the way back, and hopefully on the way down, to help create a more descending blow. If you are prone to scooping your chips, the box will feel like it’s massively in your way. The objective here is to change your angle of attack. Practise this and you’ll quickly build confidence around the greens
